Ranjana script
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The Rañjanā script (Lantsa) is an abugida, one of the Nepalese scripts, used to write Sanskrit and Newari (Nepal Bhasa). It was used across regions from Nepal to Tibet by the Newar people, the historic inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley, from the 11th century until the mid-20th century. Nowadays it is also used in Buddhist monasteries in China, Mongolia, and Japan. It is normally written from left to right but the Kutakshar form is written from top to bottom. It is also considered to be the standard Nepalese calligraphic script.
The Rañjanā script (Lantsa) is an abugida, one of the Nepalese scripts, used to write Sanskrit and Newari (Nepal Bhasa). It was used across regions from Nepal to Tibet by the Newar people, the historic inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley, from the 11th century until the mid-20th century. Nowadays it is also used in Buddhist monasteries in China, Mongolia, and Japan. It is normally written from left to right but the Kutakshar form is written from top to bottom. It is also considered to be the standard Nepalese calligraphic script.
History
Rañjanā is a Brahmic script which developed around 1100 CE. It was used in Nepal and is still used in Nepal by the Newar people to write the Newar language. The script is also used in most of the Mahayana and Vajrayana monasteries. Along with the Newar script, it is considered one of the scripts of Nepal. It is the formal script of Nepal duly registered in the United Nations while applying for free Nation status. The Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra lettered in gold ink by Bhiksu Ananda of Kapitanagar and dating back to the Nepal Sambat year 345 (1215 CE) is an early example of the script. After falling into disuse in the mid-20th century, the script has recently seen an increased use. It is used by many local governments such as those of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City, Bhaktapur Municipality, Thimi Municipality, Kirtipur Municipality, Banepa Municipality, in signboards, letter pads, and such. Regular programs are held in the Kathmandu Valley to promote the script and training classes are held to preserve the language. The script is being endorsed by the Nepal Bhasa movement and is used for headings in newspapers and websites. A Nepalese-German project is trying to conserve the manuscripts of Rañjanā script.
Alphabet
Vowels
Consonants
Vowel diacritics
File:Gagaa.JPG| Vowel diacritic of Ranjana letter 'ग'. File:Babaa.JPG| Vowel diacritic of Ranjana letter 'ब'. File:Kakaa.JPG| Vowel diacritic of Ranjana letter 'क'. The shape of the combining marks indicating the vowels आ ā, ए e, ऐ ai/ē,ओ o, and औ au/ō in Ranjana script take a different form when combined with the eight consonants ख kha, ग ga, n ञ nya, ठ ṭha ण ṇa, थ tha, ध dha or श sha(or where one of these is the first consonant in a combination) (In addition the vertical marks indicating आ ā or ī may take a shorter form when combined with the consonants क ka, ज्ञ ja, or ठ ṭha.)
Use
File:Ranjana lipi in stone -Kathmandu valley.jpg| Parthibendra Malla’s stone inscription in the Ranjana script at Kathmandu. File:Perfection of wisdom sutra (CBL InE 1400).jpg| A Buddhist manuscript in the Rañjanā script from Nepal, 1317 CE. File:Ranjana prayer wheels.jpg| Prayer wheels with the mantras in Ranjana script at Swayambhunath. File:Maru tol street sign.jpg| Street sign in Kathmandu in Ranjana, Devanagari and English.
Monogram (Kutākshar)
.]] Kutākshar is a monogram of the Ranjana script. It is only one of the Nepalese scripts that can be written in monogram.
Unicode
A Unicode block for the script has first been proposed in 2009 by Michael Everson and updated in December 2013, and last revised with additional details in January 2023 by Anshuman Pandey.
Gallery
File:Kmc3.jpg| Signboard of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Office in Ranjana script (second row). File:Invitation card.jpg| Ihipāyā Lasatāy written in Ranjana script on the invitation card. File:sandhya times scan.jpg| A Newar language Magazine Sandhya Times daily. File:Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita Maitreya Folio.jpeg| A manuscript of Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra from India. File:Jing An Temple Stone Sanskrit Om.jpeg| Rañjanā "Oṃ" syllables flanking the implements of the Four Heavenly Kings. Jing'an Temple, Shanghai, China. File:Karnataka Nyingma temple en.jpg| Nyingma Tibetan Buddhist temple with decorative use of the Lantsa variant of Rañjanā . File:Vajra Guru Mantra.svg| The Vajra Guru Mantra in the Lantsa variant of Rañjanā and in the Tibetan script. File:OM TARE TU TTARE.svg| The Mantra of Tara in the Lantsa variant of Rañjanā and Tibetan script.
References
External links
Download Ranjana Newari Regular Font Fynn, Christopher John. Ranjana (Lantsa) script Ranjana script on Omniglot Ranjana script Saerji. (2009). Rañjanā script: Akṣara List of the Manuscript of Aṣṭasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā (ca. the 11–12th Centuries). Research Institute of Sanskrit Manuscripts & Buddhist Literature, Peking University.
Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1378836974 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.